If you're planning to stay big or small, Avoid. Horrible…read moreExperience and I finally give up dealing with them after 5 years. We didnt even get to stay here because the owners are back and fourth on policy's Booked in for Dec 2020 during covid. My family contracted Covid days away from trip. We were definitely well within the Covid guidelines of a return policy, but they wouldn't give one so we agreed to just using the credit at a later. After that they more than able to cancel it and tried to reschedule us for the spring . Their availability went away every time. Every few months we would attempt to make a booking, but they were always full. (interesting right ?) Next thing you know two years plus go by. Now she says she's unable to give us any compensation or credit because we're past the two years. It's not our fault they did not have availability. Don't book your stay here. The owners have every intention to get money out of you and lack any type of customer service. Worst customer service and just the worst selfish people. Greed: greed /rēd/ noun 1. intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.

Our family of five (three kids ages 11,7,&8) stayed for a week and it was the highlight of our…read moretrip! The free washing machine and dryer helped us to not have to pack so much. The owners are very kind and attentive. They let us borrow some of their boogie boards and beach chairs when we spent a day at Hukilau beach. It was amazing waking up to the sun rise every day. The beach was great for our kids (not too rough, not too deep). We love the north shore area of Oahu and will always stay here when we visit.

There's really no hotels on the north shore of Oahu, which is nice because it preserves the…read morenatural-ness of the place (unlike Waikiki), but it's also difficult to find a place to stay. But... problem solved! The Estates at Turtle Bay is a series of condos on the northern tip of the island (on Kuilima Dr.), next to the Kuilima Golf Course. Each unit is owned individually, but managed by a company located at 56-565 Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku --- just five minutes down the road. All communications go through this office. Through the Estates at Turtle Bay website http://turtlebay-rentals.com/ you are able to view each individual unit, see how they are priced, and take your pick on the unit depending on the availability for the dates you picked. Because the price is determined by each individual owner of the condo, potentially you could see two condos of equal quality but stay at one for much cheaper than the other. Sometimes the "cleaning fee" set by the owner could also make what would've been a good deal a not so good one. So be careful about the extra fees before you book it. For example, our unit was priced at $95 a night, and we stayed for two nights = $190. But after the cleaning fee of $115!!! and taxes, the total was $327.73 for two nights. However, I love the idea that you can choose which unit you get to stay in. Every unit is decorated differently depending on the owner's taste, but they do provide a sufficient number of pictures on the website so you can see what the condition of the condo is. The one we picked turned out to be much better than expected! The place was newly renovated with a marble-counter kitchen, which was fully stocked with everything you need to cook for yourself (not a whole lot of restaurants around on the north shore other than the shrimp trucks). You also get to pick which room and which bed you get to sleep on (or rotate every night if you want) since you have the whole unit to yourself! If you arrive during office hours, you have to go pick up the key at the office down the street. If you arrive after office hours, they'll drop off the key at the entrance of the estates. There's a guard there working and you just tell him which unit you're staying in and he hands you the reservation materials. However, when we arrived, there was nobody there and he didn't come back to his post until 20 minutes later. This was the only part that was sucky, but otherwise our experience here was really awesome! Also, if you're traveling through Hawaii for two weeks like us, you'll be thankful for the washer and dryer in these condos! (Our condo was 060 West in case you want to book the same one).

Now that I've gotten a couple of consecutive nights of sleep... I've regained a bit of sanity and…read moreenergy to write about this place. In a word - DISGUSTING. We are staying at Condo #093 East. I don't know if the condos on the West side are better, but my husband stayed on that side before, which is why we stayed here as we needed temporary lodging for the next 21 days. This review is being written at the beginning of the 21 days. We arrived this past Sunday night tired after a hellish flight and rental car experience of nearly 20 hours. We arrive to walk into the condo and immediately I crinkled my nose. Yes, I admit it, I can pick up scents like a blood hound, BUT I KNOW when I don't like the smell of something. And this was the same. But again, we were locked in, we had gotten a key out of the box ourselves and there was no front desk to complain to. Had this been a hotel, I would have been all over this problem. So we walk in, bring in our one too many bags of luggage and try to get settled. Only we're too tired and just decide we'd rather just sleep. At first glance the bed looked ok. But as I got nearer and actually into the bed, I realized there was a rank odor. The best way to describe it? A mixture of human urine and wet dirty rag smell. We're both tired, but no way in hell I'm sleeping in that. I insist we change the sheets. So my cranky husband helps me change the sheets out. But the comforter, UGH that is just wreaking too. So off comes the comforter.... and the pillows... and damn.... nothing smells clean or fresh. SO, out comes our temporary pillows and blankets from home. Even though all that travel it smells 100 times better. ((ARGHHHH!!!! - and at the time of this writing, next door there is the incessant repeating high pitched grinding sound of a saw going off. ALL day this saw has been going off... and its after 4pm now. How long do you think he's going to keep this noise up? I have to work inside the condo all dang day... this is just so much fun! )))) Anyway, I digress - got distracted by the saw noise. So on Monday, we're tired and hot and sneezing. Why are we sneezing you ask? Well... looks like we were blowing dust at ourselves because we were using a portable fan the night before and didn't realize what it looked like....-massive dust covered nastiness. Not only did they not clean the fan, the ceiling fan, and who knows what else... the air conditioner just doesn't seem to work. This review could go on and so instead - lets just recap in a nutshell the pros and cons of this place. Cons - Dirty, unkempt and needs remodeling, DESPERATELY Had a dead roach waiting for us - because again, they don't know how to clean Smelly sheets, comforter, pillows, throw pillows. Nasty dirty grout and floors Disgusting showers Construction going on right next to me Soap suds left on counter, not rinsed Dirty fans Nastiest carpet in the bedroom. I refuse to go barefoot. Loud ass fans, ceiling fan, and subpar lighting - if the lights work at all. We're paying almost $200 a night here - so not worth the $200 a night. For 21 nights we are paying over $4,000! Pros- Free parking Clean refrigerator I've been cleaning since i got here, and they want to charge me $115 departure cleaning fee. Honestly they should be PAYING ME for the cleaning I've done so far. DISGUSTING!!!! I'd give this place a negative rating if I could. Waiting to hear from Office Manager. So stay tuned.

Amazing location - a true Hawaiian Paradise. First, if this listing is up (VRBO)--just click NOW…read moreand book it, quickly before it is gone. We did soon after we saw it and were fortunate, it was a brand new listing and we turned out to be the FIRST tenants ever, and it turned out amazing. What a FIND! We initially looked in Waikiki (stayed there 7 trips before), but most of the nice places (with ocean views and reputable locations) were either way too pricy ($250 and up--ads up for an 11 day stay), plus most required $25 a day for parking (add in another $275), plus some had high management fees (one was $495) if through VBO. Others had WEAK Internet (if they listed Internet access at all (and I had to work early mornings and used Skype for my calls). Others had terrible reviews (cockroaches, sounds of traffic, poor service). I wasn't happy (and time was short--every time I looked I didn't find something). So, I started checking other locations. If I was off the strip then I wanted to stay on the east side if we headed north--since that's where the Polynesian Cultural Center was (by far the #1 best and true Polynesian experience) and I found THIS listing. The pictures looked good--but there were no reviews (I was the Guinee pig). The person I emailed was VERY responsive (usually within minutes), I got my questions answered and applied. We got it. Location The one bedroom apartment suite was located about 15 minutes south of the Polynesian Cultural Center off the main road. It took about 40 minutes from the airport (the distance wasn't far--but most roads were 35 mph). The photos showed the ocean, but said it was about 900 feet from the actual beach. It is actually at the end of a cul-de-sac "up" the hill off the main road (so it is quiet)... with a volcano behind it! It rises up the hill and above the other homes and is comparable to the 10th floor of a hotel with a view of the ocean! The view behind is of Hawaiian jungle (after the plush lawn). It takes up the entire ground floor of a nice home that the owners (from Illinois) were obviously very lucky to find (their dream home in Hawaii). The driveway is pretty steep, but at the top you can turn to the right into your own private garage. Facilities You enter through the garage (they have their items meticulously stored all around) and then you have your own code to enter the door. It enters a hallway with the bathroom on the right. The entire floor is serpentine stone (very nice) and even the bathroom back walls are covered with the same stone--very classy (there is even stone trim baseboard). BTW, the towels are thick and plush and there is GREAT water pressure and plenty of hot water. To the left is the big refrigerator (and they pre-stocked it with several bottles of fresh water), shelves with plates, and then the simple kitchen area. It has a nice four-person table (great for my laptop for my early calls)--we used the marble covered patio table for breakfast (and views). There is a nice living room with a TV, stereos and shelves with fun board games. To the left of the living room is a big bay window that looks into the Hawaiian jungle and a nice small yard. You feel enveloped in Hawaii! The couch folds into a bed and has memory foam (not one of the cheap roll outs). There are two large pocket doors that open into the bedroom--which has a large window and bay window that leads to the porch. The bed is AMAZING. It is a Sealy ($$$$) king size that is firm with a plush pillow top--as good as our king at home which cost thousands. The huge front patio (Lanai) overlooks coconut and banana trees and the ocean. It turned out to be perfect for breakfast (but pick up a little mosquito spray just in case). The rear patio is also nice and has a new barbecue. I clocked the Internet speed and the wi-fi was 46 mbps down and 11 mbps up--which was fantastic (and stable). There are also lots of TV stations and Netflix. There is a shared modern washing machine/dryer off the kitchen. Remember to open the door for the front-loading washer when done (they can mold in the Hawaiian humidity). You can occasionally hear the TV upstairs, but this is a house--so it's expected and feels like "home." It feels like the perfect, classy, immaculate beach house. It also feels like the real Hawaii--not the touristy crowds (yet it was still convenient to places we like to go). I came here with my wife and our young granddaughter. The owners live upstairs and occasionally left us little gifts--including a juicy pineapple outside our door. They were very responsive to anything we needed--including ideas for the best snorkeling and beaches close by. I rate this FIVE stars (would give it higher if possible). It is truly a Hawaiian Paradise and it was an incredible value as well. It is like an upscale "Hilton" home away from home. I HIGHLY recommend it!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I hope you all get a driver self-nicknamed "Short"…read more We booked a Pearl Harbor tour which included a visit to the Dole pineapple gift shop as well as a drive around the island (with a few stops and drivebys). Our driver nicknamed "Short" was a great driver as well as a native who knew the island and all it's customs, history, and it's little fun facts and quirks. Short is also a life philosopher. I won't spoil it should you get him, but he has a good way of keeping things light hearted but really makes you think about why the world and it's constant feuding is the way it is. The trip started sharply at 8AM (hotel lobby pickup) and after picking up a few passengers at different hotels, we were off. The Pearl Harbor tour and the ride over was excellent. While I knew a lot of what he was narrating, he goes into the back story of why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Much different than what you probably learned in history class. Nothing excuses the Japanese military government for doing what they did and he's not an apologist for them, but he laid out the facts leading up to it. Very informative. The movie at the Pearl Harbor center was well done by the Park Service, but we didn't have much time to look around much after that as we needed to keep to schedule. A few passengers were a full 30 minutes late, but he didn't give them the riot act but instead gently and jokingly chided them a little. It was pretty funny! The Dole pineapple gift shop stop was all about buying stuff, so if you've done it you'll be bored. But for first timers, get the Pineapple Freeze at the back of the store. We stopped by three parks and beaches which included the North Shore, a park whose name I forget, and Hanauma Bay. We highly recommend PPF. Just remember as part of a tour, be courteous and be on time. Write it down, put it in your phone, whatever it takes to keep everyone on the tour on track!

Our bus drive to Polynesian cultural center was both enlightening and entertaining. Pita was our…read moreguide and made our 1:15 hour drive feel like a 20 minute drive. As we drove through he shared some highlights and historical facts which was nice. We felt ready and excited to tour the PCC.

Really beautiful hotel glad I was able to walk around and check out the views inside of the hotel…read more The views of the hotel are really nice with amazing sunset beach views and you're also able to swim at the beach!

This review is difficult to write because The Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay has held a special place in…read moreour hearts for years. We got engaged here and have returned multiple times over the years, making countless memories. As a loyal Marriott member, I always looked forward to coming back. Unfortunately, this most recent stay left us feeling like the resort has lost the charm and hospitality that once made it so special. For the price guests pay to stay here, the experience simply does not match the cost. What stood out most was the apparent difference in how guests are treated compared to locals utilizing the pool and resort amenities. As paying resort guests, we often felt like an afterthought rather than valued customers. The pool and food service experience was particularly disappointing. The wait staff consistently came across as rude, rushed, and uninterested in providing the level of service you would expect from a luxury resort. While I don't place all the blame on the employees themselves, they appeared overworked, understaffed, and unsupported by management. When employees are not set up for success, it inevitably impacts the guest experience--and unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. Another odd aspect of the property is the collection of independent shops operating within the resort. Multiple times we were reminded that they were not affiliated with the hotel, which created a fragmented and somewhat uncomfortable experience. Rather than feeling like part of a cohesive luxury resort, it often felt like a collection of separate businesses sharing the same property. What makes this so disappointing is knowing what Turtle Bay used to be. It once had a unique, relaxed Hawaiian charm that made it worth returning to year after year. Today, it feels more like a tourist-focused revenue machine than the welcoming destination we remembered. For a resort carrying the Ritz-Carlton name and commanding premium prices, we expected much more. Sadly, after this visit, we don't feel any desire to return. It's unfortunate to say, but the memories we have from previous visits are far better than the experience we had this time around. I truly hope management takes a hard look at the guest experience and works to bring back the hospitality and character that made Turtle Bay such a special place in the first place.

Not trustworthy! My husband booked a place for us as we look for longer term housing. A while after…read morebooking and getting confirmation, they sent an email. It's a holiday weekend and they demanded a response the same day. We replied the following morning but were told they already cancelled our reservation. Wouldn't we just book again at their new price that's $1,500 more? Talking to them to try and resolve, it was clear they just wanted more money. There was no urgent issue, they never called, they just decided they could get more money than our reservation. So be warned if you reserve with them... they may leave you hanging. EDIT: The owner left a response citing verification processes. We completed everything asked for on booking and NEVER received any communications on August 28 or 29. I have the message receipts and can gladly share. Our only message was Aug. 30 and we responded within a day, despite the holiday weekend! The property was still available. They just wanted to jack the price over $1k.

Earlier this year, we decided, on a whim, to have a beach day and called up last minute to rent…read moresome chairs, umbrellas, and a cooler. The staff could not have been kinder or more accommodating. They immediately set us up with everything we needed for a relaxing day by the water and even offered us a discount, which was such a thoughtful touch. They delivered everything right to our resort and later came back to pick it all up, making the experience effortless from beginning to end. The owner was especially wonderful--warm, genuine, and full of great recommendations for local spots to eat and explore. It was such a beautiful reminder of the true aloha spirit we love so much. As someone who grew up on the island of Guam--another beautiful but farther-to-reach Pacific gem--returning to Hawaii always fills my spirit with that same island way of life: generous, easygoing, deeply rooted in community and kindness. I'm so grateful for places and people like this who make you feel right at home, wherever you are in the world.

Paolo is amazing! Best tour guide around. He was very entertaining and knowledgeable about the…read moreisland.

make sure you get Paolo as your tour guide…read more we did a six hour tour and it was incredible we have done MANY of these over the years in several locations and this was, by far, the best one HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I really love the Mahakea Estate. Dusty is always so nice and the place is pristine. I'm a wedding…read moreplanner so having one less thing to worry about is always a plus. There is tons of space, it's always immaculate and the pool and jacuzzi are always so inviting as well as beautiful. Great for floating lotus flowers, floating candles or light up orbs. All really elevate the space. Great place for a gathering, wedding or just a mini stay-cation.

From the owner: Legal, licensed beachfront vacation rental property.read more